Half Life : Hazard Course
by FISHY1
Summary: Skimmers, A Assistant Scientist For Doctor Keller, Was Attending His Hazard Course When The Incident Happened. Skimmers has been Paralysed! Chapter 6 Out!
1. Chapter 1

Half Life: Hazard Course  
  
****  
  
Tit! Tit! Tit! Tit! Tit! Tit!  
  
"Mmmmm, just a few more minutes mom...."  
  
"Skimmers! You will be late for your Hazard Course!" Said A Voice...  
  
"Yeah...yeah....Hazard Cour- what?!" Skimmer suddenly jumped out of his bed. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier!"  
  
He rushed for the closet, grabbed a crumbled lab Coat and put it on his singlet. He splashed his face with water, brushed his teeth, and ran out of his dormitory. He ran into Danny, The Dormitory Security Guard.  
  
"So....Who woke up late eah?" He Grinned. "You better get moving....I've already set the coordinates for the Tram.."  
  
Skimmers fumed inside him. He was angry at Danny for no reason at all, but also glad that he took the initiative to wake him up on time.  
  
"God.....you really are working for that promotion..."He mused, as he ran towards the Tram Station.  
  
"Yeah, so you better nominate me for Security Guard of the Month..."  
  
"I'll remember that...."  
  
He ran down the path leading to the Black Mesa Surface Tram Station. He admired the Blue Clear sky and the dusty landscape around him because once he took the Tram, he would not see nature for hours. The Black Mesa Research Facility was a Government Funded Research Centre. It was build Underground.  
  
Security was one of the tightest in this facility. Everything was on a need to know basis. No contact with the outside world was allowed. The Location of the facility was one of the most remote. In the middle of the deserts of New Mexico. The Base was made like a fortress. It had hundreds of security system. Turrets covered high security areas. Most parts of the base were connected by Trams. Its impossible to get from one sector to another on foot.  
  
Under the rocks were dozens and dozens or test labs. Each test lab filled with objects from 'Star Wars'. It held secrets after secrets behind every door. Unknown experiments took place behind every door. Rumours about out of this world aliens or a alien dimension were the talk of the cafeteria. Of course, none of the scientist revealed much about their own work and experiments to their fellow colleague.  
  
His Job was to be a Research Associate for Dr Keller...one of the leading scientist in the facility. He was the head of the Weapons Research sector. He cooked up new Laser Guns or Plasma Rifle every week. Skimmers was to test out the weapon to it's max, find out the weapon abilities. He once fired A laser rifle on an living creature, though after that he was made to swear not to say anything of what it looked like. It's boring work. Just fire a weapon, go for some test and shoot holograms Aliens from another dimension. It was boring and tiring also.  
  
But he got his own fair share of enjoyment. He earned Fifty Thousand a month by firing bean weapons from Star Trek. Or going head to head in Black Mesa Holoroom with a Five foot tall blue Giant. But best of all, he didn't need to give weekly reports to the Administrator. He had heard rumours that scientist unable to come up with any progress were fired on the spot.  
  
Anyway, there was a course all scientist had to go though during their stay in Black Mesa. It was the Hazard Course. A Training Course to test your abilities to survive in a hazardous environment with only you and your Hazard Suit. Why they made scientist do it? Nobody knew. Most scientist took the course lightly, never taking in the advice of the hologram Gina.  
  
So today was his turn. His turn to go for the Course, the course that prepares you for events that would never happen. For example, most parts of Hazard Course made you jump and duck under and over pipes. They even make you jump from 3 stories up! Of course, the Hazard Suit absorb most of the impact so you wouldn't die. The weirdest thing was the shooting range. Why make employees shoot practise targets when there were already Security Guards?   
  
It was a waste of time actually. But after the course, he was to be given a day off. Free to do whatever he liked. It's hard to find a day without things to do. Everyday you would be called to test out a new weapon improvement. Than scanned for any hazardous effects. Than give an opinion of the weapon it' self, than testing it out in the Holoroom and fight imaginary Aliens from mars and so on. By the time it was over, more than half the day was wasted. It was boring but easy work.  
  
Skimmer rushed into the Tram just as it pulled up onto the platform. He let himself rest on the seat, as the voice of Gina filled his ears....he closed his eyes…and dozed off.... 


	2. Chapter 2

Half Life Hazard Course  
  
Part 2  
  
****  
  
"Skimmers! There you are! You're One Hour Late!" Said Dr Isist  
  
"I know! My alarm didn't go off!" Skimmers complained.  
  
"Don't give me that shit. You have an appointment, you make it on time...I'm giving you 3 demotion points on your conduct! Now get moving!" He shouted.  
  
He let go a curse under his breath and stepped into the elevator, it lead to the Hazard Course.  
  
In Black Mesa, they had such thing as a disciplinary system, for example, if you were late for your assignment, the Head Scientist would record down 2 demotion points, these points would than be added up and if you reach a certain number of points, you're in for cleaning duty. Become too lazy and you're fired. It is like in a school.   
  
Normally, being late would only be 1. But Dr Isist, the Assistant Head Scientist of the Training Course was young and arrogant. He liked finding fault with people and often picked on some of the 'Black' Scientist who took the Hazard Course. Often trying to find tiny fault in their performance. He was one of those 'Pain in the Ass people'. Skimmers was no exception.  
  
"Isist, you know Racism is not allowed in the Complex."  
  
"Shut up Skimmers. Get moving." He stepped into another elevator beside his, it lead to the control room where he could see whatever that was going on.   
  
Soon the elevator came to a stop, the metal gate opened and revealed an empty room with a metal security door at the other end. In the middle was a small metal panel. Possibly for the hologram 'Gina' that was going to 'Guide' him though the Course.  
  
Gina was the Head Scientist of the Hazard Course. She's the only Female Scientist in the Complex. There were no other known Women in Black Mesa. Fortunately, the Men in Black Mesa were not so crazy after her. They were more worried about their Job than Women. She was not too talkative and would often retreat to her Dorm to finish up on her work and report. There were rumours of another Female Scientist, but not many Scientist has seen the other.  
  
As he stepped up to the metal panel, 'Gina' suddenly appeared out of thin air. It looked like real, there were no flaws in the hologram, only thing was you could place see and place your hand though her.  
  
****  
  
"Testing...testing...everything seems to be in order."  
  
"Yeah, it better be...."  
  
"All right Gordon your suit should keep you comfortable through all this. The specimen should be delivered to you in just a few moments. If you would be so kind as to climb up and start the rotors we can bring the anti - mass spectromiter to 80% and hold it until the carrier arrives."  
  
"All right....up the ladder...to the station....and press the button, there!"  
  
"Very good…we'll take it from here"  
  
"Now to stage one emitters in three, two, one ...I'm seeing predictable phaser rays."  
  
"Stage two emitters activating now."  
  
"Gordon, we cannot predict how long the system will operate at this level nor for how long the reading will take place...work as quickly as you can."  
  
"Than get the sample here so I can push it in!"  
  
"Overhead capacitors to one-oh-five percent. AAHHH...its probably not a problem, probably, but I'm showing a small discrepancy...well...its well within acceptable bounds. Sustaining sequence."  
  
"What? Are you guys sure about this? I mean all these experimenting and...."  
  
"Don't worry Gordon. It'll be o.k."  
  
****  
  
Skimmers stepped into the Target Range, the Security Door opened into a room. A table stood in the middle with a Rifle and ammo surrounding it. There were also some sort of Grenades.   
  
"Finally, I get to hold a real gun..."  
  
Skimmers never really understood why they needed guns in Black Mesa. Weren't there Security Guards? Most parts of Black Mesa had Armoury containing Rifles and High Calibre Weapons. Hell there's are even RPG in some of their armoury. Most Scientist never seen the need for an armoury in Black Mesa. That's what Security Guards are for, should there be a break out.   
  
Although he works in the Weapon Sector, he still does not see the need for armouries throughout Black Mesa. Unless a major diaster happens, which of course the chances of happening are one in a million.  
  
Skimmers reached down and held the M16 in his hand. It looked really well polished, he look into the reflection and adjusted his looks....  
  
He was combing though his hair when suddenly the floor shook, he lost his grip and fell backwards. The walls shook, tiles started falling off it. Skimmers first though was that it was an Earthquake, but he was took shocked to react and laid down on the floor.  
  
"Skimmers! Get out of there! Go! Go! Go!" Dr Isist voice came out of the hail speaker.  
  
The lights went out and everything became dark when he came back to his senses.  
  
"Get under the table!" He screamed in his mind.  
  
He crawled aimlessly in the dark forward, feeling his way around the shaking ground, than something hit his back, sending a nerve racking pain though him, Skimmers could not take the pain and slip into unconsciousness. 


	3. Chapter 3

Half Life Hazard Course  
  
Part 3  
  
****  
  
With power down to the Hazard Course, all the lights went out. The Security Door, was not opening. Emergency Generator was not working.  
  
Dr Isist gritted his teeth. What was going on? One minute he was monitoring Skimmers on the course, the next, an Earthquake. The announcement system shouting out evacuation commands. All the lights went out....something must have went wrong...  
  
"Dr Auston, get the torch..." Dr Isist said.  
  
"Yes sir." A second later, he pressed the switch. A beam of light shown across the room.  
  
"What happen sir?" Dr Auston blurted out, his face covered with dust.  
  
"I don't know. But we cannot do anything till we get power back..."  
  
"What about Skimmers?"  
  
****  
  
"Uhhhh where am I?" Skimmers groaned. He laid on his chest, gaining back consicious, he pushed himself up to get on his back, but was met with a wave of pain. He fell back on his chest groaning.  
  
"Skimmers, something has happened. An accident of some kind....an Earthquake maybe but it is impossible. You have a a......just don't move. If you move, you are going to hurt yourself, I'm sending Auston down to get you out of there. I'm trying to contact the main centre hub." The Hail Speakers said. He recognised the voice of that to be of Dr Isist.  
  
He didn't care whether Dr Isist sent help or not. He was just about to give up. He saw blood flowing from his suit. It collected as a pool just in front of his eyes. He saw his life following away, he closed his eyes and rested....  
  
****  
  
Dr Auston arrived at the weapons range, he turned into the area where the Rifle were kept and was taken aback by what he saw.  
  
The rocks on the roof had fallen in, probably due to bad structure. But what was worst was that some of the rocks had fallen on Skimmers. The overhead lamp pole stabbed straight into him, penetrating the HEV. It sticked straight out of his back. If it wasn't for the Hazard Suit Skimmers would have been dead. Right now he was on the verge of being dead if he does not get medical attention.   
  
"Isist. We need Med Vac here. Skimmers has been impaled!" He yelled in the radio.  
  
"I cannot get anyone on com. You'll have to be the Med Vac, Once you get though the rest of the course, I'll be waiting with a Mini Tram at the course exit." Isist voice came though, but it was mostly static.  
  
"Are you crazy?"  
  
"I'm afraid you have to....Isist out."  
  
"Shit...this ain't happening..." Muttered Auston. Auston bend down and checked on his breathing. He was breathing shallow. Pulse weak....if Skimmers survived this, it would be a miracle.   
  
"Skimmers, I know this is going to hurt a lot. But you'll suffer worst pain than this before you get out of this shit."  
  
Auston grabbed the pole with both his hands, and with a swift move, pulled it out... 


	4. Chapter 4

Half Life Hazard Course  
  
Part 4  
  
****  
  
"Will he be alright?"  
  
"I don't know, the extend of his injury is extreme. It's amazing he's alive."  
  
"Yeah, he took a pole in his chest. It missed his Heart by a few inches.  
  
"I pity him. He will never be able to use his legs again."  
  
"Looks like your miracle medicine didn't work Doc."  
  
"I didn't say it would be a hundred percent effective..."  
  
"Hey look he's waking up!"  
  
****  
  
Skimmers opened his eyes, Doctor Corbell looked at Skimmers at amazement. It was a miracle he was still alive, after taking a pole in his chest.  
  
"Skimmers! You're alive!" Exclaimed Auston.  
  
"Uhh...." He managed to moan.  
  
"Don't talk Skimmers. Rest. You'll need it." Doctor Corbell consoled.  
  
"What happened?"   
  
"There was an accident..." I started. "One of the labs....its equipment malfunction and caused an explosion..."  
  
"The labs are self-contained...that's impossible..." He horsed. Corbell handed a cup of water.  
  
"We know, the quake was large enough to be classified as a large scale explosion. But a large scale chain reaction would have destroyed the whole facility." Auston went on.  
  
"Than what?"  
  
"You tell me. Me and Auston managed to climb out of the control room though a vent. Auston went to get you while I summon a tram to get us to the main lobby."  
  
"They found me at the lobby, I was trapped in my office, the door was jammed." Corbell spoke.  
  
"Than we went to the medical centre. Hook you up to the Medkits."  
  
"Uhh...thanks Auston....you saved me...you too Isist.." He said than fell back into his state of unconsciousness.  
  
****  
  
"We have not told him about his legs...."  
  
"Best to leave it to him to find out...."  
  
"Yeah, but how are we going to move him?" Skimmers said.  
  
"I don't know, a wheel chair?" Corbell suggested.  
  
"Sorry, None around these offices."  
  
"How about Eli's Float Chair? It's only one level down. Corbell?"  
  
"I'm not going down there....with those things around...."  
  
"Things? What things?"  
  
"Errrr....nothing"  
  
"Corbell, are you hiding something from us?"  
  
"No-o-o..."  
  
"You said those 'things' earlier....what did you mean..."  
  
"It's.....classified..."  
  
"Corbell, what do you mean by those 'things?' Tell us, you aren't hiding any secrets from us?" Auston asked.  
  
"Errr...."  
  
"Corbell, I don't have time for this shit. I saw 3 dead colleagues before I found you, I checked their wounds and are those I never seen before. Now, if you don't tell us what is the hell is going on, you'll join those in the store room."  
  
"I can't! The Administrator made me swear to keep it a secret! If he finds out, he'll kill me!"   
  
"We'll kill you now if you don't tell us!"   
  
"Please try to understand! The Administrator is watching me right now! He'll give me a fate worst than death if I tell you what's going on!"  
  
"You have 3 Seconds to talk." Isist said firmly.  
  
"Please...."  
  
"3"  
  
"2"  
  
"No, you do not understand. If you kill me, you die also...you'll never survive without me!" Corbell reasoned  
  
"1"  
  
"Please, I can get you out of here!" He pleaded. He was on his knees.  
  
"Too late."  
  
Rat-ta-ta!  
  
"I guess we'll have to find out ourselves what he was talking about. He is obviously a traitor...we'll have to get Eli's Floating Chair, and get the hell out of this mess." His voice emotionless.  
  
"What if he was telling the truth?" Auston said quietly. He turned and look at Isist with angry eyes, Isist refused to acknowledge.   
  
"Never the less, he cannot be trusted. Here, take the Rifle. The main lift should still be working."  
  
"What about you? You're unarmed." He said, concerned.  
  
"You are going out there alone. You'll need the rifle." Isist pushed it into his hands.  
  
"O.k. If I can access a computer, I'll call for help. I'll place the Floating Chair in the elevator for you to collect it. I'll search for more survivors." He finally said. He gripped the gun, and headed for the lift. 


	5. Chapter 5

Half Life Hazard Course  
  
Part 5  
  
****  
  
Auston held tightly on the trigger of the Rifle, the corridor leading to the elevator was   
  
littered with dead bodies and mutilated body parts. He and Isist cleared the bodies earlier on and dump them in the Store Room. What did all of this was what was troubling Auston.  
  
His anger was still there, earlier on, Dr Corbell accidentally revealed he knew something was going on, but refused to talk. Isist, threaten him with the Rifle but Corbell claimed the 'Administrator' was watching him and would give him a fate worst than death.  
  
Corbell did not comply, and Isist shot him. Auston was too shocked to react, Isist accused   
  
Corbell and called him a traitor and said that he could not be trusted. But what if Corbell was   
  
telling the truth, that without his help, it was impossible to get out of here? Skimmers had shot their only chance at survival.  
  
He placed aside all there questions in his mind, and focus on his job. To get Skimmers the   
  
Floating Chair so that they could all get out of here.  
  
The elevator door opened, the floor was painted red, on the lobby desk laid a security guard,   
  
blood dripping from his mouth. A nearby Scientist laid on the floor, there was no chest movement.   
  
Auston carefully took a step forward. Something was wrong.....he knew it....something was really   
  
wrong....the security guard had claw like slashes on his face, there was a hole in the scientist   
  
chest, the guts inside was gone, there was no blood flowing from his body. Like his body had been drained of blood.  
  
Auston pulled his face away, and followed the sign which said 'Dormatory'.  
  
****  
  
60 Miles away from Black Mesa....  
  
"Hey Joe, have you seen flying saucers lately?" Boston said, as he walked into the Cafe.   
  
"No man, it's a desert out here. It aint Roswell." He took a sip from his beer  
  
"Come out here and I'll show you what i mean..." He stepped back out into the blazing sun.  
  
Joe followed him, he placed his hands over his eyes to cut out the glare. In the distant sky, he   
  
could see helicopters, jets, Ospreys, they were all heading South.   
  
"Woah, like a military operation..." Joe commented "This ain't World War 3 is it?"  
  
"Nope....looks like one of the Governments cover ups again...."  
  
"Yeah, it's heading for that restricted zone. The one hidden in the canyons. The old missile base ..." Joe said.  
  
"So? What are we gonna do?" Boston asked. "Tell the media?"  
  
"Yeah, like they'll do a damm thing...."  
  
"Why? Why are you so concern over this....cover up?"  
  
"It's for Charlie....The Soldiers took over his house today, they killed him. I saw them shoving   
  
him into the Ranch. He never came out...." Boston said bitterly.  
  
Boston opened his arms to show Joe. He held a locket. It belong to Charlie....in his was his   
  
picture with his daughter...Boston used his other hand and dug into his pocket. He took out   
  
something from his pocket.   
  
"What's that?" Joe asked.  
  
Boston opened his palm. On it was bullets, used up bullets, it's shell empty. Joe lifted one and   
  
looked on it's symbol.  
  
US Military '5.56x45mm NATO'  
  
"Oh my....the Military! How could they do this! They'll pay for this!"  
  
"Yes....I have my guns ready in the back. I'll drive you to your house, get you favourite guns. Leave a note for your wife, you might never see her again."  
  
****  
  
"Arr.....the floating chair..." Auston exclaimed.  
  
Eli's Floating Chair. One of Black Mesa's most successful invention beside the HEV. It uses   
  
magnetic waves to propel itself into the air. It never touched the floor unless it was in shutdown mode. It looked like a normal wheel chair except it had no wheels. Other than that, it had no other options, it was only designed for disabled personnel.  
  
Auston pushed the chair out of the room, he laid the Rifle on the chair, and walked back towards   
  
the lift....  
  
Blitz!  
  
"What was that?" He turned around.   
  
"Arrrrrr!" A screamed came from one of the rooms! "Arr! Help! Help!.."  
  
Than silences, the light went out. He stood in the dark, his breathing rapid. The red flashing   
  
emergency lights came on, he spotted a shadow that looked like a Human being.  
  
"Thank Goodness I.." He took a step forward. Than he stopped.  
  
He took a step back as the figure stepped forward, it looked like a Human, except, there was some sort of crab creature attached to it's face. Its fingers had mutated into long sharp like claws, the chest was spilt open, exposing guts, the split in the chest was like a mouth, with gashing   
  
teeth.  
  
****  
  
The Zombie stepped forward towards the smell of food. The food was alive...it was live flesh.....   
  
Human flesh.... 


	6. Chapter 6

Half Life Hazard Course  
  
Part 6  
  
****  
  
Auston fired the Rifle blindly. The Creature was coming after him! He frantically pressed the lift button. He aimed the rifle towards the direction the zombie was coming.   
  
The Zombie, he never believed in Aliens or green man. But what he saw changed his prospective. An alien creature attached itself to a persons head, taking over the body and mutating it to suit its own purposes.  
  
The lift door finally opened, he literally fell in and hit the close button. He lets go a sigh of relief.  
  
****  
  
Sheriff RockWood received the bad news. Charlie had been murdered. Withney went to his house to deliver some equipment, she entered the barn to check on the animals when she saw the body, immediately she called RockWood.  
  
"Oh my....who could have done such a thing!" She sat on the dirt, crying.  
  
"His body has several stabbed wounds." RockWood said out. "Also, he took several beating to his skull. Suffered severe concussion. He must have been hit from the butt of a Rifle."  
  
RockWood stand up and sigh. The tiny town of Rachal, which was nothing but a mere bar, gas station and a police post, never had a murder case before. RockWood was used to stopping fights at the bar or issuing speeding tickets, but never had a murder case before. He had to call headquarters for backup.  
  
"This is weird...the stab wounds are not from normal knifes…they are like from….military issued knifes. The concussion, it's definitely from a Rifles butt. I been in Vietnam, this bruise came from an M16." RockWood scratched his head.   
  
"Who could have done this? The military?" Withney said.  
  
"Yeah, the military." Said a voice.  
  
RockWood turned his head. Next to the barn door was Joe and Boston  
  
****  
  
The elevator doors opened and Auston collapsed out. Isist was standing right in front of him. He picked up the Rifle.  
  
"Isist! Corbell was right! There's these Zombies....and Alien crabs and..."  
  
Click!  
  
Isist turned the safety off.  
  
"Yeah Auston. I know...you can go and join them..."  
  
"Isist, what are you doing?"  
  
"The same thing I did to Corbell."  
  
The wheels rolled in Auston head.  
  
"No...it's impossible....you...you traitor!"  
  
"Oh yes Auston.....have you heard of the Black Ops?"  
  
Black Ops Aka. Black Operatives Mercenaries for hire.  
  
"Traitor...."  
  
"Bye bye..."  
  
Rat-ta-ta!  
  
"HQ, this is Isist. Objective Floating Chair complete. Awaiting orders."  
  
"Isist. This is HQ. Your orders are to get the floating chair to the position Nuclear. There, you are to clear all US Army soldiers and prepare the area for the Nuke." 


End file.
